by Brandi Karisch, Eastern Region
To date, 2025 has been a great year for SimGenetics across the country. Record high sale prices this year show a continued demand for Simmental across all segments of the industry. In the show ring, SimGenetics have brought home Supreme and top five titles at Major shows across the country.
I’ve just returned home from almost a month of cattle shows at the Dixie National, and between junior and open shows, the quality and interest in Simmentals was clear. I think it is safe to say that the Simental breed is on fire in 2025.
They say success is earned and not given feely, and the current success we are experiencing has been hard-earned by our leadership, staff, board members, and breeders. Dr. Shafer’s leadership has certainly been instrumental in getting Simmental to the point we are today. His vision has cemented Simmental’s reputation as a science-first breed interested in serving our membership. Simmental works in data and facts, and the vision of the Association is clear in its idea of service to its members and their customers through continual improvement of genetics and associated technologies. The staff Dr. Shafer has put together during his time at the head of ASA has always strived to drive this vision forward.
Time marches on and change is inevitable, but change is not always a bad thing. Dr. Shafer’s leadership has set Simmental up to continue to be the leader in the beef industry for years to come. Dr. DeClerck is poised to take the reins over this summer in leadership of the ASA and is certainly positioned for success. Our educational and career paths have been similar, so I have had the opportunity to witness his intelligence and growth. I can safely say that Dr. DeClerck has a strong background rooted in scientific thinking and is a strong believer in Simmental’s vision and mission. His background in livestock judging lends to him being a fantastic communicator at all levels of the industry. He will certainly be burning up the roads at Simmental events this year, and I hope you will take the time to visit with him and hear about his passion for the breed and his mission to move this Association even further into our next steps as leaders in the beef industry.
One of the best things about the Simmental breed and serving on the Board has always been the people. We are Simmental through and through, and I always enjoy visiting with other breeders and learning about operations and parts of the country that are different from ours. I’ll admit that growing up in the South, we run cows pretty differently than our friends up north. It is always fascinating to me to hear my northern friends talk about calving cows in the winter. We are certainly not built for cold weather down here! Our breed is so diverse in terms of the environments, people, and goals we raise our cattle for. I am thankful we can unite under such a great umbrella of an organization that strives to serve all of its breeders and continue to drive our breed to even greater heights.
I hope I get the opportunity to visit with as many of our members as I can during my time on the board. I will be at Beef Improvement Federation Meetings this summer in Amarillo, Texas, and at the National Classic in Madison, Wisconsin. If you see me out and about I would love to talk to you about your cattle and what we can do to help you and your customers. If I can help to address any thoughts or concerns, I would love to visit with you. .
